Flixed study participants rank AppleTV+ worst streaming service — what about Quibi?

Apparently Quibi was not a choice in the Flixed study ranking for streaming service interfaces. AppleTV+, despite the anemic library selection, is better than Quibi. Heck, Quibi might possibly be for sale (see: Quibi Reportedly Exploring More Cash, Merger, Or Being Acquired)

in a recent study from tech company Flixed, when participants were asked to rate their satisfaction with each service’s interface, Apple TV+ didn’t just rank badly, it was dead last behind Netflix, Hulu, Disney+ and even cable TV. 

Apple TV+ Ranks Last in Interface, Content & Overall Satisfaction in Recent Study | Cord Cutters News

Am not familiar with Flixed (https://flixed.io/). It looks like a service that helps match up cord cutters with service. An affiliate code gateway, if you will, with some helpful looking articles and a fairly clean website interface.

The omission of Quibi from the ranking for a tech company is curious. Why not include Quibi?

We’ve tried all the main streaming services and are currently subscribed to the main ones (Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, Hulu, Peacock), and a few of the secondary and/or niche streamers (CBS All Access, Shudder). Quibi and AppleTV+ we do not have subscriptions to at the moment, but at last check, we were (very) underwhelmed.

Greyhound starring Tom Hanks premiered on AppleTV+ in 2020. That is one of their high points. They had some TV shows (The Morning Show starring Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon) that generated some buzz and there have been a few other movies they’ve cherry picked. My main criticism for their service is not enough content. Sure, they “only” charge $4.99/month, but they need more to justify charging even that.

Quibi has more content, but it’s the way they released it, in small 10 minute or less chunks and the fact that they wanted to force us to watch it on our cell phones that raises the most concern. They’ve repeatedly said they were going to enable cast to TV, but to date they still aren’t on Roku or Amazon Fire, only Chromecast. Yes, they share that in common with HBO Max, but the difference is WarnerMedia has wanted to work a deal since day one where Quibi launched with no interest in enabling cast to TV as an option. In fact, they specifically blocked this functionality.

We don’t need a study from Flixed or anybody else to declare Quibi the bottom of the streaming barrel, followed quite a bit higher by AppleTV+.

November 2019 – 18 Movies Ranked MOST to LEAST Entertaining

Movies seen in the theater in November 2019 (missing, but also seen was Midway and The Irishman)

November 2019 saw releases of 18 movies in the theater (17 new movies + 1 Fathom Events). Similar to our blog/text reviews the goal is no spoiler reviews.

Our watched in the theater reviews are shared each month ranked by the highest to lowest ranking (most to least entertaining), which follows our review criteria. Here is how month #4 since we started this blog, November 2019 went …

November 2019 – Movie Theater Expenses
$219 – for movie theater snacks & food ($15 x 14, we got 3 movie popcorn and sodas using points, so only $9 for the upcharge for large)
$60 – for Cinebarre Issaquah, WA with movie when watching Midway and Last Christmas
$44 for movie tickets (unlimited price for both wife & I for August 2019)
$22 for 3 tickets to Twilight Zone: 60th Anniversary (Fathom Events)
$7 for ScreenX movie surcharge for seeing Ford v Ferrari
$80 – $5 average gas expense x 16 movies (Cinebarre Issaquah, WA was double feature)
= $432 / 17 movies = $25.42 for movie theater entertainment expense per visit, even with the “free” unlimited movies.

= $1,444 for 2019 Total YTD Expenses (Aug: $319, Sep: $324, Oct: $384, Nov: $432)

Note: The 18th movie was a Netflix original release: The Irishman, which I’ve included here because it did show in some theaters, but I didn’t have any expenses for it, because watched at home.

As mentioned in the August recap, there are expenses beyond ticket prices to see movies in the theater, unless one walks to the theater and watches movies back to back to back, buys no concessions and sees only 2D movies with no enhanced experiences.

November 2019 – 18 movies ranked MOST to LEAST Entertaining
2019: AUGUST | SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER | NOVEMBER
Click title to read the no-spoilers review
* – indicates both Kara and I watched

1. *Ford v Ferrari ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ScreenX
2. The Irishman ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(Netflix)
3. *Harriet ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
4. *Knives Out ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
5. *The Twilight Zone: 60th Anniversary ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
6. The Good Liar ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
7. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood ⭐️⭐️⭐️½
8. Motherless Brooklyn ⭐️⭐️⭐️½
9. Jojo Rabbit ⭐️⭐️⭐️½
10. *Last Christmas ⭐️⭐️⭐️½
11. *Frozen II ⭐️⭐️⭐️
12. *Midway⭐️⭐️⭐️
13. Parasite⭐️⭐️⭐️
14. Queen & Slim ⭐️⭐️½
15. Arctic Dogs ⭐️⭐️½
16. 21 Bridges⭐️½
17. *Charlie’s Angels (2019)⭐️½
18. *Playing With Fire⭐️½

Knives Out we were able to view as part of multiple early access screenings (hope they do more of these!).

Renee Zellweger in Judy still put on the best actress performance that I’ve seen to date in 2019. For Best Actor? Joaquin Phoenix seems strong for Joker, but then along comes Robert De Niro in The Irishman and Tom Hanks in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.

Met Expectations (based on hype, trailer, promotion)
Ford v Ferrari – there was too much hype for this Matt Damon and Christian Bale high octane racing movie based around the true story of Caroll Shelby and Ken Miles trying to make a race car that can beat Ferrari at the Le Mans. Saw this in ScreenX and felt almost in the driving seat. This delivered, and then some.
Knives Out – good whodunit mysteries are hard to come by at the theater and this one delivers.
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood – almost put this under “disappointments” but Tom Hanks did everything I thought he’d do in this film playing the saintly (I know, he wasn’t a saint, but to most of the world he sure seemed like one) Mister Rogers. My only nagging regret for this one? More Tom Hanks!

Disappointments
Charlie’s Angels – expected that Elizabeth Banks would do more than she did with this. I’ll give it points for trying to share with us a new kind of story, but this would have been better not under the banner of a well-known 70s TV franchise.
Parasite – a lot of amazing reviews for the Bong Hive’s latest, greatest film, but it wasn’t the cinematic masterpiece critics led me to believe. Not for me, anyway. Yes, it’s very good, but The Irishman makes this look like a student film.

Pleasant Surprises
Harriet – Didn’t know much about the story of Harriet Tubman and was worried this one would be a boring historical tale, but it turned out to be an entertaining story of anti-slavery about a true American hero. Harriet is my favorite superhero of 2019, put her on the $20 bill already.

September 2019 – 14 New Movies Ranked Most to Least Entertaining

13 Films Watched In Regal Cinema in September 2019 (Not Pictured is JUDY, which was watched in an independent theater)

Here’s an entire month’s worth of new movies reviewed. Several are still showing in theaters at the time this is posted. If you missed them, then they will be available streaming everywhere soon.

Instead of best to worst, have changed to “Most to least entertaining” because that better fits our review criteria. Here is how September 2019 went:

September 2019 – Movie Theater Expenses
$160 – for movie theater snacks & food ($15 x 10, we got 4 movie popcorn and sodas using points, so no charge, + $10 for independent theater popcorn & soda)
$26 – for Cinnebar Palace Station lunch with movie when watching Ad Astra
$8 for independent movie ticket price
$44 for movie tickets (Regal Unlimited plans for both wife & I)
$16 for 4DX movie surcharge for seeing Rambo: Last Blood
$70 = $5 average gas expense x 14 movies
= $324 / 15 movies (+1 because saw Rambo twice!) = $21.60 for both of us movie theater entertainment expense per visit, even with the “free” unlimited movies. As mentioned in our August recap, you do spend real $$ unless you literally stay at the theater and watch movies back to back to back and buy nothing. Only movie seen more than once was Rambo.

September 2019 – 14 movies seen in theater ranked from Best to Worst
Click title to read a no-spoilers review

1. (MOST ENTERTAINING) JUDY ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
2. The Art Of Racing In The Rain ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
3. Rambo: Last Blood [4DX]⭐️⭐️⭐️½ 
4. Overcomer ⭐️⭐️⭐️
5. Downton Abbey ⭐️⭐️⭐️
6. Villains ⭐️⭐️⭐️
7. Good Boys ⭐️⭐️½ 
8. The Goldfinch ⭐️⭐️½ 
9. IT: Chapter Two ⭐️⭐️½ 
10. Spider-Man Far From Home ⭐️⭐
11. A️bominable ⭐️⭐
12. Brittany Runs A Marathon ⭐️½
13. Hustlers⭐️½
14. (LEAST ENTERTAINING) Ad Astra⭐️

JUDY was a standout thanks to an awesome acting performance by Renee Zellweger, as well as the adaption of Garth Stein’s The Art of Racing in the Rain. Rambo: Last Blood in 4DX was one of the most fun experiences we’ve ever had in a movie. Not because the movie was that great, but the 4DX experience itself certainly added and enhanced the experience. I saw it in 2D and would give it 3 stars. Still think next to First Blood, it’s among the best sequels in the series.

Met Expectations (based on hype and promotion)
JUDY – I sensed that Renee Zellweger would outshine the movie — and she did. Wish the movie itself was better, but Zellweger’s performance was so awesome that I was thoroughly entertained otherwise.
Rambo: Last Blood – I’ve always wanted to see what it would be like having John Rambo enjoy some peace at his home in Arizona. Yes, it doesn’t last, but then that’s part of the fun. I know this movie wasn’t for everybody, but Stallone knew what his hardcore fans wanted and delivered.

Disappointments
Ad Astra – I liked the story, thought this would be a lot of fun. Instead, it was an exercise in banality
Hustlers – another promising story, but unlikable characters and a bit of a rambling plotline
The Goldfinch – another story that seemed to have great promise based on award winning source material, but the adaption and execution was muddled and convoluted

Pleasant Surprises
The Art of Racing In The Rain – if you asked me if I’d like a dog narrating a story about living with a racer I’d have said “no thanks” but this won me over big time.
Downton Abbey – didn”t think I’d like a story about what goes on in a mansion, but was sucked into the drama surrounding the king and queen visiting
Overcomer – didn’t know this was a faith-based religious sports story, but both of us were entertained. Good ending, too!

Are you curious about our reviews the prior month at the theater?
AUGUST 2019 – 12 New Movies Ranked

August 2019 – 12 New Movies In Theaters Ranked Best To Worst

Except in the picture above Spider-Man and IT: Chapter Two (Both those watched in September 2019), watched 12 new movies at Regal Theater using the Regal Unlimited Pass.

If you figure an average of $12/movie for ticket prices, that’s a cost of about $1/movie ticket. So far this Regal Unlimited is a pretty good financial deal anyway. Of course that doesn’t factor in gas to/from the movies, popcorn and soda (of which almost every movie a large tub and large soda at average of $15 each time, save for two reduced price/free due to promotions). So, the actual moviegoers price goes up once all that is factored in as follows:

August 2019 – Movie Theater Expenses
$150 for movie theater snacks & food
$44 for movie tickets (unlimited price for both wife & I for August 2019)
$60 for gas expense
= $254 / 12 movies = $21.66 for both of us movie theater entertainment expense per visit, even with the “free” unlimited movies. The reality is you do end up spending real $$ unless you literally stay at the theater and watch movies back to back to back.

August 2019 – 12 movies seen in theater ranked from Best to Worst
Click title to read the review

1. (BEST) Peanut Butter Falcon ⭐️⭐️⭐️½
2. Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw ⭐️⭐️⭐️½
3. Brian Banks ⭐️⭐️⭐️½
4. Once Upon A Time In Hollywood ⭐️⭐️⭐️
5. Ready Or Not ⭐️⭐️⭐️
6. Dora and The Lost City of Gold ⭐️⭐️⭐️
7. Bennett’s War ⭐️⭐️⭐️
8. Angel Has Fallen ⭐️⭐️½
9. Yesterday ⭐️⭐️½
10. Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark ⭐️⭐️½
11. 47 Meters Down: Uncaged ⭐️⭐️½
12. (WORST) Blinded By The Light ⭐️½

Peanut Butter Falcon was our surprise gem of the month. Wife and I doubted we’d like it, but really were surprised by this one. We also enjoyed Brian Banks. I was entertained by Hobbs & Shaw, but it’s not that great of a film. Film we most wanted to see in August 2019 was Yesterday, but we both were disappointed, despite loving the heavy Beatles soundtrack. Neither of us enjoyed Blinded By The Light either, except again for the music. Only one I want to see again at the theater is Tarintino’s Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. Just got the feeling there would be more to see the second time around on that one, plus Kara hasn’t seen (not sure if she would like though). Maybe we can catch that before it leaves the theater.

Together, we only watched 7 of the 12, the other 5 (Hobbs & Shaw, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Angel Has Fallen and Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark) I watched alone.

Some of these movies are still showing in the theater. Happy viewing!